Get to Know a Wedding Stationer: Dogwood Blossom Stationery

Today we have this great interview with Denise of Dogwood Blossom Stationery from Orlando, Florida! Thanks for sharing with us today.

How did you get started doing wedding invitations?

In 2006, I planned my own wedding. During planning, I felt like I was being shoved into a pre-packaged box – I felt like the wedding industry was telling me “this is the way your wedding is supposed to look.” Fitting into a box has never really worked for me, so I ended up as a DIY bride in order to achieve the look and style I wanted for my wedding. One of the aspects of that process that I really fell in love with was the paper goods. We went really overboard with our paper goods, but I love every piece we included. After the wedding, my lust for paper goods didn’t stop. I recognized that other brides were having the same boxed-in experience I had, and I knew that I would be a great solution for brides looking for truly custom (not “customized”) invitations and paper goods. Within 6 months of our wedding, I wrote a business plan, quit my job, set up a studio space, and officially registered Dogwood Blossom Stationery as a business.

See more of the interview and beautiful stationery after the jump!

What is your favorite color combination?

My favorite color combination is always changing. At the moment, I think blush, pale gold, and ivory might win as favorite. I find it delicate and fairly versatile in terms of both seasonality and design.

What is the most unique invitation you have designed?

People come to Dogwood Blossom Stationery when they can’t find the invitation they’re looking for, so all our invitations end up being incredibly unique. A recent project that comes to mind is a save-the-date sent by a couple from rival “beer towns” in the Northeast. They wanted to reflect their hometown heritages, so for them, we created a boxed save-the-date in their woodsy brown-and-green color scheme with lots of texture, and included metal bottle openers engraved with a custom monogram we created for use across their wedding suite. When I packaged up all their boxes for delivery, I let out a little shriek because they were just so darn cute.

Do you have a favorite typeface?

I don’t have a favorite typeface, but I do have a favorite font author. Her pen name is Jellyka Nerevan and her fonts manage to be adorable but also a little edgy. I have a few of her fonts that I use regularly – my clients just fall in love with them.

What is the most bizarre request you have received?

Nothing really “bizarre,” but everything we do is significantly “different” and extremely personalized. I really love it when clients present me with a challenge. My all-time favorite request was from a bride having a destination wedding in Orlando – I don’t think she’d mind me sharing her story. The scope of ideas she wanted the invitation to reference seemed v-e-r-y spread out at first glance. She asked for a blush pink, mocha, and cream invitation that was “still masculine,” looked like airmail, and played up some unique décor/motifs from her venue (which was not Disney)… “oh, and can you include something Disney-ish on there somewhere too?” We did it, the design made sense, and her entire wedding suite is actually pretty stunning! One of my favorite projects (aren’t they all!).

Ampersand or the word “and?”

I like “and” unless it’s a very unique ampersand. I actually really like “+” too. But in the end, many of my clients end up using “to;” it’s just how their wording works out.

Any advice for brides?

Take time to uncover what you want your wedding to look and feel like and how your wedding will best reflect the two of you. Don’t bend to a trend if it isn’t who you are, and certainly don’t let anyone fit you into a box for their own convenience.

Do you offer more than just stationery?

If it involves paper, we do it! The custom process doesn’t stop with your invitation; we carry the work through to your ceremony and reception papers and signage, and beyond that to your post-wedding needs, too.

We are a full-service studio, so we offer many service options in addition to custom paper goods, including a variety of addressing services, postage service, and posting service. We really make an effort to make it “yours” and make it easy for you.